• Our employee stock purchase program (ESPP) discount goes from 15% to 10%. Also the price is based on the closing date of the purchase period instead of the min of the open and close. Cost savings: $60 million.
• We have to buy generic drugs when available. Cost savings: $20 million.
• We now have to take our parental leave within six months instead of a year. Cost savings: ???
• New employees only get two weeks of vacation if they start after Jan 1, 2005 and it will take them two years to get to three weeks. Cost savings: ???

I am all for running a lean mean business but we are talking about an organization with >$50 billion in the bank and 10.7 billion shares outstanding. I know every dollar counts but I think that changing our ESPP will have a negative net effect. $60 million/10.7 billion shares = not enough savings to spur our stagnant share price into positive movement. Sure employees who are shareholders might see this 60 million cost savings as a net gain but only if they own MILLIONS of shares. Average employees will not benefit from these cost savings.

I'd much rather see them realize $60 million in cost savings by charging us for our pop, charging us cost on our lunches, trimming our travel and entertainment budget, cutting back on our sports club membership, life insurance,...

I'd understand them making these cuttings two or three years ago while the market was at all times low and there was a glut of unemployed talent, but with the economy recovering it is the wrong time to be cutting benefits when employees and potential hires are looking elsewhere for employment.

Perhaps Microsoft has forgotten that their greatest asset isn't $50 billion in the bank but rather their 50,000 employees.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent my employer's view in any way. I also love my job, we still have great benefits, and Microsoft continues to be a great company to work for.
12:23:15 AM   []